Blacksmithing: Iron as Clay

Back by popular demand!  The 2024 one-day clinic was so successful that we’re now offering it as a two-day workshop. Iron has surprising plasticity.  It can be pushed, twisted, and stretched into beautiful forms, just like clay.  This two-day workshop will be an exploration of iron’s ability to transform shape and dimension.  We’ll create early Baroque leaves, small dragon heads, and free-form elements.  We’ll learn how to view iron as a three-dimensional sculpting material, and boldly forge it as such.  This class will make your decorative ironwork pop!  Anyone with some experience forging (whether a little or a lot) is welcome.  Bring your favorite hammer and a willingness to go bold!  All workshops run from 9 AM- 5 PM with an hour for lunch in the middle of the day.

Skills and Techniques:

• Efficiently working in a coal fire
• Hammer control and techniques
• Use of top and bottom tooling
• Learning to utilize the plasticity of steel

Materials Fee: $15 paid directly to the instructor

Special Tools or Equipment: The farm makes available to students eye and ear protection, gloves, and aprons. Comfortable closed toed shoes and street clothes are recommended. If you have forge tools you like working with you are welcome to bring them.

Please be sure to read our 2025 policies before you register for a workshop which can be found here Workshop Policies